Patent GB-772270-A (GB)
Abstract: 772,270. Electric digital-data-storage apparatus. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Dec. 24, 1954 [Dec. 31, 1953], No. 37380/54. Class 106 (1). [Also in Group XXXIX] Data-storage apparatus comprises a twodimensional matrix arrangement of magnetic, cores with means for entering information column by column and reading it out row by row. As shown, information is read character by character from a magnetic tape and written column by column into the matrix. Each character is represented by six bits (A, B, 1, 2, 4 and 8) and a " redundancy " check bit (R) and the matrix has 80 columns each of seven cores for registering a character. The information is then read from the matrix and is punched row by row in a record card or printed. Control circuits. On closure of cam contacts 148, Fig. 3, triggers 150 and 152 are switched. The trigger 152, through a cathode follower 158 energizes a lead 160 to drive the tape. The trigger 150 is re-set by cam contacts 156. As each character is read by a unit 74, Fig. 2, the seven bits are registered in a temporary store 76 formed by triggers, e.g. 192. An OR gate 218 is actuated on receipt of a signal from the 1, 2, 4, 8 or B trigger and its output is applied together with the output of the A trigger to an OR gate 222 which thus produces a signal as soon as one bit of the character has been registered. This signal is applied to a singleshot multivibrator 228 which introduces a delay to ensure registration of all the bits. The multivibrator 228 actuates the " storing " and " charging " single-shot multivibrators 230, 232 referred to below. The multivibrator 230 re-sets the triggers forming the register 76 and applies a signal to an AND gate 360. The output of the AND gate 218 and the A trigger 192 of the register 76 are also connected to the gate 360 so that when a special " record mark " is sensed, the gate 360 produces a signal which re-sets the trigger 152 and so stops the tape feed. Writing in. As each character is to be written, series connected windings, e.g. 24, Fig. 4, of a corresponding column of cores are energized and bit signals are applied simultaneously to those rows of the matrix corresponding to bits to be registered. The bit signals are applied to series-connected core windings, e.g. 10, to switch the corresponding cores of the selected column. The bit signals are obtained over a cable 284 from thyratrons, e.g. 120, Fig. 2, controlled by AND gates 244, each having an input from the corresponding trigger 192 of the temporary storage register 76. The other inputs to the AND gates 244 are connected in common to the " storing " singleshot multivibrator 230, Fig. 3. The currents passed by the thyratrons 120 are limited by the action of corresponding cathode-followers, e.g. 288, connected via an inverter 302 to the " charging " single-shot multivibrator 232. When the tape is advanced, under the control of a trigger 152 as described above, the trigger 152 actuates a single-shot multivibrator 304 which fires a thyratron 306 connected by a lead 310 to an input winding of a switching magnetic core 70. The multivibrator 304 also sends a signal via an inverter 312 to a bi-stable trigger 314 to cause its right side to conduct. As each character is read from the tape, the " charging " multivibrator produces a signal, as described above, which switches the bistable trigger 314. The two sides of the latter are connected, via AND gates 316, 318, connected to the " storing " multivibrator 230, to core-driving circuits 336, 328 which are thus effective alternately. On receipt of the first character, the circuit 328 is effective over a lead 72 to re-set the core 70 which has an output winding in which a pulse is generated so as to fire a thyratron 54, connected at this time over relay contents RI1 to the series-connected windings 24 of the first column of the matrix. In series with these windings is an input winding of a switching core 116 which is alone sufficient to switch the core. Thus on receipt of the next character, the core-driving circuit 336 is effective over a lead 338 to re-set the core 116. The output from this core fires a second thyratron which energizes the input windings of the second column of the matrix and sets a switching core 144 arranged to be re-set by the next signal on the lead 72 from the core-driver 328. Column-selection continues sequentially in this manner, a switching core being provided for each column. A condenser 110 connected to each set of column input windings charges when the windings are energized to discharge the associated thyratron. Reading out. Cam contacts 334, Fig. 4, de-energize the relay RI and an emitter 38, Fig. 3, fires seven thyratrons, e.g. 342, sequentially. Each thyratron is connected by the cable 344 to series-connected re-setting windings, e.g. 28, Fig. 4, of a corresponding row of cores in the matrix. As a row is re-set, the output signals generated in column-connected output windings, e.g. 32, fire the corresponding thyratrons, e.g. 54, which are now connected by the unoperated contacts, e.g. RI1, of the relay RI and a cable 348 to respective punch magnets. The thyratrons are extinguished between the reading out of successive rows by cam contacts.